Rapper and a co-founder of the legendary Houston, Texas group Geto Boys, Bushwick Bill, died at the age of 52. He opened up about his health battle in May of 2019 with Stage IV pancreatic cancer but ultimately lost his battle with the horrible disease.
Billboard.com said Bill died at a Colorado hospital.
“His family appreciates all of the prayers and support and are asking for privacy at this time,” a statement from the family said.
Bill explained that doctors initially believed the mass was benign. “‘We see a mass on your pancreas and we can’t understand it. It’s not alcohol, it’s not sugar, it’s not diabetes,’” he recounted the doctors saying. “They went through all kinds of stuff. And finally, by February 8th, they said it was stage 4 [pancreatic] cancer.”
“I figure keeping it myself is not really helping nobody,” Bill explained of his decision to go public with his diagnosis. “And it’s not like I’m afraid of dying, because if anyone knows anything about me from ‘Ever So Clear’, you know, I died and came back again in June 1991.” “Ever So Clear”, Bushwick Bill’s 1992 debut solo single, references his 1991 suicide attempt, which left him blind in one eye.
“It’s not like I’m afraid of dying,” he told TMZ. “I know what it’s like on the other side. I was in the morgue for two hours and 45 minutes before I came to. My toe was tagged and they were pushing me in the drawer and I looked both ways and I saw frozen people to the left and frozen people to the right. I thought I was dreaming, then I saw people in front of me pushing the door closed and I was like, ‘Yo!’ And everybody stopped and I said, ‘I have to pee’ and I jumped up and pulled the catheter out and the security for the morgue stood there and I ended up peeing on his leg and he took off running [and said] ‘He’s alive somebody help!’ They ran back in there and shot me up with a big needle and I woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed.”
Stage IV cancer is sometimes referred to as metastatic cancer, because it often means the cancer has spread from its origin to distant parts of the body.
Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas develop mutations in their DNA. These mutations cause cells to grow uncontrollably and to continue living after normal cells would die. These accumulating cells can form a tumor. Untreated pancreatic cancer spreads to nearby organs and blood vessels.
Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly to nearby organs. It is seldom detected in its early stages. But for people with pancreatic cysts or a family history of pancreatic cancer, some screening steps might help detect a problem early. One sign of pancreatic cancer is diabetes, especially when it occurs with weight loss or jaundice. Other symptoms include what Bushwick experienced, pain in the upper abdomen that spreads to the back.
“That’s not what it’s really about. It’s about life and loving life,” he said. “I just want people to be aware so that when they set dreams or goals, they’re healthy enough to fulfill and live.”
Black Americans are more likely to get pancreatic cancer than any other racial or ethnic group. They have the highest incidence rate of pancreatic cancer in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute SEER data.
Although there are many pancreatic cancer risk factors, there is evidence that this disparity is more related to social and access issues rather than biology.
People at higher risk should listen carefully to their bodies, be aware of any symptoms that are out of the ordinary and openly communicate with their healthcare team. Some examples of pancreatic cancer symptoms include back or stomach pain, unexplained weight loss, jaundice and digestive challenges.
Considering clinical trials is particularly important for pancreatic cancer patients who are part of an ethnic or racial minority group.
Pancreatic cancer patients who participate in clinical research have better outcomes, and every treatment available today was approved through a clinical trial.
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